


5 times a knight lied for merlin and one time merlin told the truth for them

by GoringWriting



Series: Merlin 5+1 [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bad Flirting, Blood and Injury, Fear, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Lies, Medical, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Minor Gwen/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Protective Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Protective Gwaine (Merlin), Protective Knights (Merlin), Threats, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:55:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27345433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoringWriting/pseuds/GoringWriting
Summary: Exactly what it says on the tin. Five times a knight lied for Merlin and one time Merlin told the truth for them.
Series: Merlin 5+1 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1996561
Comments: 9
Kudos: 383





	5 times a knight lied for merlin and one time merlin told the truth for them

Lancelot 

Lancelot has never considered himself a dishonest person. He prided himself on being a man of honor. After all he dreamed of being a knight. How could he be both a knight and a liar? The two cannot coexist. 

That is until he met Merlin. Merlin who convinced him to forge a seal and lie about being a noble and then things were escalating and he had to escape but he also had to kill the Griffin or die trying in order to restore his honor. 

That led to more problems than it solved. Now he knew that Merlin was a sorcerer, in Camelot, serving the Crown Prince. There were so many worrisome parts to that statement and he can’t even fathom it. 

He then of course had to decide, tell the King and watch Merlin, with his neckerchiefs and too big ears burn on his word or remain silent and pray that there wouldn’t be a regicide. 

Lancelot couldn’t do it. Not after Merlin had saved his life. 

He lost his way after that. A lot of fighting and violence and hating himself and who he had become and wondering if he could ever be a knight worthy of the title. 

And then there were the letters Merlin would send to him. Telling him all that had happened in Camelot and Lancelot felt better. Merlin wasn’t the sort to kill unless necessary and while he might want Arthur on the throne he didn’t want it to be from Uther’s murder and that was one theory of Lancelot’s put to rest.

Percival made it difficult. Social propriety suggested he share why he was laughing or anxious while reading Merlin’s letters and he hated tweaking the stories but he did what he had to in order to keep his friend safe, even if it meant lying to a friend. 

Then there was the knighting and the journey to retake the castle. He knew he needed to get Merlin to the throne room, so one of his first acts as a knight was to lie to the Prince about stopping the warning bell. 

It twisted in his stomach and settled there making him sick. 

He hates to lie...but for Merlin he’s willing to do it. 

Even if that means lying by doing his job. 

Gwaine

Gwaine cares about Merlin more than he cares about pretty much anyone else. The man is funny, kind, empathetic and he is good. He is the best of them and Gwaine knows that he needs to work to deserve the way the man looks at him with simply trust and affection. 

He knows that there is a lot that he doesn’t know about the man he calls his only friend. But he does know one thing. He has never once in his life seen the man drink. Not a single drop. Gwaine has watched. If he’s with company he’ll order it and then pass it to Lancelot when no one is looking. 

Which is why he’s so shocked to see Merlin sitting in the tavern. A quick look around tells him that Arthur and Lancelot are nowhere around which means neither of them dragged him there and the other knights usually wait until further into the week.

So why is his friend here. 

Gwaine knows better than anyone that men are scoundrels. Especially if they have been drinking which is why he’s not shocked that there are a bunch of miners or something showing off their muscles to the woman milling around with food and drink. 

Gwaine takes a seat a bit away from Merlin. Close enough to watch and listen but not much closer. 

A man approaches and Gwaine tenses up and watches him. 

“Why did you call me here?” the man asks. 

“I know what you are doing in the mines. You’ve been secretly damaging the yield of both ore and the grain from the nearby fields. All so you can make a pretty penny from Cenred for weakening Camelot. It ends now,” Merlin says. 

“Oh yeah boy?”

“Yes. If you wish to keep your head then I suggest you go away,” Merlin says. 

“No one would believe you. You have no evidence. No one would believe a mere serving boy who has no way to know what he speaks of,” the man says. 

“According to you,” Merlin says and Gwaine decides it’s time to add a little support. He has to use his nobility for something. 

“He may not have the evidence, but I do. So I suggest you do as he says,” Gwaine says and the man sees his insignia and takes off. 

“Thanks Gwaine,” Merlin says. 

“Any time Merls,” Gwaine says with a grin and sits down and orders two drinks. 

Ale for him and water for Merlin. 

Percival

Lancelot, Arthur, and Gwaine are all going to kill him. Gaius and Gwen will help hide his body and Camelot won’t even care. Not one little bit about Sir Percival struck down by two fellow knights, the King, the Queen, and the Court Physician. Hell the cook might poison him first. 

He was supposed to escort Merlin to a nearby village to treat the wounded in a recent bandit attack while also delivering supplies to help them until the bandits could be caught. A plan that had caused a bit of a smile and a tear in Merlin’s eye when Arthur announced it. Percival knows there’s more to the story there but he’s learned there always is when it comes to those two. 

But back to the reason for his upcoming murder. 

The path down into the valley had looked safe. It had seemed to be stable and it had been. The two of them had made it almost to the bottom when Merlin had gone over the edge. Percival isn’t sure how it happened the man had been behind him and one minute he was there and the next he was screaming and there was a sickening thud. 

When he had reached his friend the man wasn’t moving and his arm and leg were bent at sickening angles and there was a bit of blood that made Percival sick and the man was paler than he had ever seen him before. 

It was terrifying. He thought Merlin was dead. 

But then as if he just wanted to be contrary his chest rose and fell in a shaky breath. 

Luckily the village they were closest to had several of the second best healers available. 

Gaius is obviously first and if he was conscious Merlin would fight anyone who said different. Of that Percival is certain. 

It’s hours of examination which Percival is banned from that he starts getting anxious. He knows he needs to send a message to Arthur., but he wants to wait until he knows more information. 

When the physician emerges Percival is on his feet. 

“How is he?”

“I am sorry I can only give that information to family,” the physician says and Percival sighs. 

“He’s my brother. Please will he be alright?” Percival asks. The man doesn’t seem to believe him but with no way to disprove the statement he has no choice. 

“His arm and leg are broken. He has a concussion as well. There wasn’t much blood loss. A few minor cuts and scrapes. I predict he will be awake by tomorrow,” He says and goes to prepare potions and Percival adds this to the letter. He hopes this might save him.

It doesn’t. He’s in the stocks the day after they make it back and he’s pretty sure he can hear his fellow knights encouraging the children to throw more food at him. It’s near the end of the day when a soft voice tells the kids to give him a rest and he looks at the manservant being supported by Lancelot.

“Thanks.”

“Of course. I have to protect my brother, don’t I,” Merlin says cheekily and it makes Percival smile. 

“I think you’ve been in here long enough. Arthur said I could release you any time but I only now managed to convince someone to help be down here,” Merlin says unlocking it and Percival stands at his full height. 

“Allow me to escort you back to your room?” Percival asks. 

“Of course,” Merlin says with a grin and Percival can live with the ire of everyone in Camelot so long as Merlin is still his friend. He scoops Merlin up into his arms and carries him back to his room to rest. 

Elyan

Merlin is a mystery to Elyan. He doesn’t have years of familiarity that Lancelot, Gwaine, Leon, and Arthur have with him. He didn’t start out as friends with him like Gwen did. He’s isn’t mentoring him like Gaius and he wasn’t even told stories about him like Percival was. When it’s the group of them he can often forget to interact with Merlin because everyone else is and he can’t get a word in edgewise. 

He doesn’t even know what he would say if he could talk to him. He’s already thanked the man for protecting Gwen when he couldn’t. And he hasn’t gone on any solo adventures with the man like the others have. 

But one thing he is sure of is that the man is loyal to all of them. He’s seen Merlin take arrows and swords. Face magic, ghosts, bandits and assassins for each of them. Elyan included and out of the group he is the one Merlin should want to protect the least. 

Elyan also notices every guard in the castle. He knows which ones are good, which don’t take their job seriously and which ones abuse the power they were given.

So when he turns the corner on patrol and sees Merlin facing off against one of the latter grouping Elyan is ready for it. 

“You were out at night with no explanation as to why. The King must be told...unless you make me a decent offer…”

“That won’t be necessary, Merlin was with me,” Elyan says, pushing between the two rudely. How dare this man threaten Merlin. Who gave him the right!

“Doing?”

“None of your concern. My affairs are just that. My own. Come along Merlin I’m sure you have more duties to attend to. After all you have to help treat the sick and the ailing. Something others could do to remember,” Elyan says because he knows this guard happens to have a sick sister. 

People need to be reminded that Merlin is not only the King’s manservant but also serves to help those who are sick in the town. 

Elyan may not know Merlin well but looking at Merlin’s smile as they walk away is enough to show him that maybe he still has a chance. Perhaps he should ask Gwen for help. She might tell him a little about Merlin so that they have something to talk about.

Come to think of it Merlin is getting a week off to go home for a visit and has been trying to find an escort otherwise Arthur won’t let him go. Elyan has that same week off. Perhaps he could volunteer. Give Merlin a chance to see his mother. 

Arthur

Arthur hates when he takes Merlin out to get the true opinion of his people. When the two of them are pretending to be commoners and Arthur can pretend to be a normal person rather than a King and Merlin can be a bit freer in his words. 

Unfortunately that also means that people feel they can approach Merlin. 

Arthur watches his manservant send away the third man to approach him and Arthur feels as though he is going to snap and kill someone. If he were Gwaine a brawl would have already started. 

He finally snaps when one of them grabs at the neckerchief on Merlin’s neck. No one touches him without permission. Arthur stands and marches over to where the two of them are. 

“How no one has claimed someone as pretty as you is a sin,” the man says. 

“Funnily enough he is claimed. By me,” Arthur says and pulls Merlin against him and he knows Gwen will understand. She’d have done the same. Probably drag Arthur along with her. The man sizes him up and must decide that he can’t take Arthur so he slinks back. 

“Thanks,” Merlin mumbles before they return to their table. 

“Can’t have you getting ideas of running off with some man,” Arthur says. 

“Prat.”

“Idiot.”

Merlin

“Arthur Pendragon, this is the day you die,” the sorcerer says and Merlin rolls his eyes. 

“You and the rest of your band of murderers,” the sorcerer adds. Merlin and the others are chained up to the walls and there are knives floating in front of each of them. 

“People more powerful than you have tried and failed. What makes you different?”

“I am willing to offer an out. All you need is to gain the pardon of a being of magic. If you can get the pardon of a magic user then you will all be free to go,” he says. 

“But you are the only one here who used magic,” Gwaine says. 

“That’s the idea. He either wants us to beg for our lives, or not in which he can kill us immediately. He likely has no intention of honoring his word,” Merlin says. 

“Of course I do. I will even use magic to ensure it,” the man says and if Merlin wasn’t sure before the man was crazy to begin with he is now. 

Merlin’s spine tingles as the man starts speaking the promise with magic inside. 

“I promise to release you all if a being of Magic pardons all of you. Should I refuse my magic will strike me dead,” the sorcerer says and Merlin looks at Lancelot who smiles at him sadly. He doesn’t look scared, he looks resigned. Like he knows what Merlin is going to do and that no matter what something will change. 

“Alright then,” Merlin mumbles to himself. Drawing a few confused looks and he takes a deep breath. 

“I, Merlin, a warlock, Emrys, and the last Dragonlord hereby pardon those in this room from their crimes against magic,” Merlin says and he loosens their ties with his magic. Allowing his eyes to show to those around him. There will be no doubts now, but he can live with this. If he is executed because he saved his friends then so be it. 

There are worse ways to die. 

Their captor leaps at Arthur to attack him but before his hands can connect his body arches and he curls up on the ground. 

“His magic is attacking him because he didn’t keep his vow. We should leave. This will get messy,” Merlin says softly and he follows his friends, are they still his friends? Out of the cave and into the forest. 

“So you have magic…” Arthur says. 

“No he doesn’t,” Gwaine says. 

“You must have heard things Sire,” Leon says. 

“A hallucination planted by that villain,” Elyan says. 

“As if Merlin would even have magic,” Percival says giving a full laugh 

“Hmmmm, Merlin. You have told the truth once today, are you brave enough to do it again?” Arthur asks. 

“I was born with magic. I’ve only ever used it to protect you and camelot or with the intention to. I swear this to you,” Merlin says. 

“Are you willing to swear with your magic like he did?” Arthur asks and Gwaine’s hand goes for his sword. 

“Yes,” Merlin says. 

“Then I chose to believe you as my friend,” Arthur says and Merlin’s so relieved his knees give out beneath him. 

Arthur accepted him. He accepted him, magic and all.


End file.
